How fast will someone in Kathmandu actually reply?
Every form, email and WhatsApp is read by a named Kathmandu team member — not a bot, not an overseas reseller. We commit to a written reply within one business day (often within four hours during NPT office hours). If your trek departs within fourteen days, mark it urgent in the message and we will reply the same day.
Is it safe to send a deposit to a company based abroad?
We hold TAAN #1-2847 (Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal) and full NMA membership, and our Kathmandu office at Naxal Marg 28 is verifiable on Google Maps, in the Lonely Planet Nepal guidebook (five editions running) and via the Nepal Tourism Board. Deposits are made to our Kathmandu bank account in NPR or USD; final balance is settled in Thamel on the evening before departure.
Who actually handles my booking — you, or someone I cannot reach?
The same Kathmandu team from your first email to your summit photo. Your enquiry is assigned to one of our senior operations staff — never to an outsourced reseller — and the named lead guide who briefs you in Thamel is the guide on the trail. We do not transfer your booking to a third party once it is confirmed.
What happens if something goes wrong on the mountain?
Every expedition carries a satellite communicator, a pulse oximeter and our standard altitude medical kit. In a real evacuation we coordinate with Simrik Air and Heli Everest — the two operators we have worked with on every high-altitude incident for over a decade. We do not promise insurance outcomes; we do promise a Kathmandu duty officer reachable 24/7 throughout your trek, and a recorded zero-fatality track record in 11 of the last 12 operational years.
When is the right time to start the conversation?
For autumn departures (September–November) and spring (March–May), two to three months ahead is comfortable. For Everest Base Camp or Manaslu in peak season, four to six months is safer — our guaranteed-departure groups fill in order of booking. If you are already in Kathmandu, walk into the Thamel guesthouse the same day; the ops desk will fit you in.